Important Public Policy Priority Issues Chosen by the NADCA GAC

Each year, the NADCA Government Affairs Committee votes on various federal issues that affect the die casting industry. The final issue(s) chosen are considered NADCA’s priority issues. NADCA also participates in several strategic partnership programs with federal agencies.

NADCA's Priority Issues & Key Projects

2008 Priority Issues

During the first session of the 110th Congress, NADCA's legislative agenda reflected the new Congress and focused on the importance of retaining a strong manufacturing base in the United States.  NADCA worked with lawmakers to develop policies and legislation that enhance the die casting industry's ability to compete in the global economy.  For 2008, NADCA will keep the following issues in front of key policy-makers as we head into a critical election year with control of the White House and Congress at stake.

Level Playing Field for Trade - Numerous trading partners have been allowed to undervalue their currencies to the detriment of American manufacturers. Such currency manipulation artificially acts as a subsidy that boosts our foreign competitors' exports and significantly curtails their imports.  NADCA continues to seek reform of China's exchange-rate policies to achieve a market-based yuan value and enactment of legislation to provide relief to U.S. manufacturers that are harmed by undervalued currency.  Specifically, the NADCA Washington Office:

• Met with lawmakers and staff to secure cosponsors to the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act - legislation which defines currency manipulation as a prohibited export subsidy and would allow countervailing duty cases to be brought against individual products or industries. 
• Provided examples to the Speaker of the House and chairmen of the House Ways & Means Committee containing specific examples of how die casters have been directly impacted by Chinese currency manipulation and subsidies. 
• Facilitated meeting between NADCA Iowa members and the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee in Washington to discuss currency legislation.
• Helped secure signatures for a Dear Colleague letter to the Ways & Means Committee highlighting importance of passage of strong currency bill this Congress - over 100 lawmakers signed onto the letter.
• Sent out trade alert requesting NADCA members to write their House lawmakers urging them to cosponsor currency reform bill and to contact Ways & Means Committee members to act on a strong currency bill.
• Worked with Senator Stabenow's (D-MI) staff to successfully include 4 amendments in the Finance Committee currency legislation, which was approved by 20-1 in July.
• Participated in the China Currency Coalition which seeks to reform China's exchange rate policies.

OSHA Reform Legislation - NADCA member companies know that their employees are their most valuable resource and work hard to ensure their workplaces are safe.  OSHA reform legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate. The bills, Protecting America's Workers Act, would, among other items:

• Impose new criminal penalties  (An employer could go to jail if a serious accident or death occurs -- even if an employer did everything possible to prevent a workplace accident );
• Update OSHA civil penalties, with a minimum fine of $50,000 (maximum $250,000), if a willful OSHA violation leads to a worker's death;
• Provide for felony (rather than misdemeanor) criminal sanctions for willful violations that lead to death or serious injury of a worker;
• Require expanded communications during accident investigations; and,
• Require employers to provide workers with all safety equipment, including personal protective devices.

OSHA should continue to work with employers and their employees to increase awareness about workplace hazards and provide information to avoid those hazards.  In November, OSHA published a final rule stipulating that the employer must pay for required PPE, except in the limited cases specified in the standard. The final rule must be implemented by May 15, 2008.Magnesium Tariff - With continued pressure from foreign competition and fuel-economy standards tightening, NADCA members remain concerned about the high price of metal - in particular magnesium. Tough new U.S. fuel economy regulations are forcing the auto industry to utilize more magnesium and aluminum to make vehicles lighter and therefore more fuel-efficient.

There remains one sole domestic magnesium producer, and the U.S. imposes a tariff on foreign-produced magnesium. The tariff adds about 50 cents a pound to the cost of the cost of the magnesium, bringing it to as high as $3 a pound.

In 2005, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) instituted reviews of the antidumping duty on pure magnesium from China. As a result of these reviews, the ITC determined that revocation of the antidumping duty on pure magnesium from China would likely lead to a recurrence of material injury.  As a result, the existing order on imports of this product from China will remain in place for five years.

The Commission's public report Pure Magnesium from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-895 (Review), USITC Publication 3908, March 2007) contains the views of the Commission and information developed during the hearing.

Emerging Issues - Given the ever-changing political climate in the months leading up to the 2008 elections, NADCA is monitoring several important industry issues, particularly in the labor and health care arena.  NADCA members received updates on issues such as:

• Expansion of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and paid sick leave requirements;
• Expansion of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
• Comprehensive immigration reform and worksite enforcement; and
• Mental health parity legislation.

NADCA will alert the membership to any new developments on these issues or other issues of concern to the die casting industry.